High blood pressure

Causes

When the arteries that carry blood to your kidneys become narrow, less blood flows to the kidneys. The kidneys mistakenly respond as if your blood pressure is low and make hormones that tell the body to hold on to more salt and water. This causes your blood pressure to rise.

Renal artery stenosis is a narrowing or blockage of the artery that supplies blood to the kidneys.

The most common cause of renal artery stenosis is a blockage in the the arteries due to high cholesterol. This problem occurs when a sticky, fatty substance called plaque builds up on the inner lining of the arteries. The plaque may slowly narrow or even block the renal (kidney) artery.

Fibromuscular dysplasia is another cause of renal artery stenosis. It is often seen in women under age 50 and tends to run in families. It is caused by abnormal growth of cells in the walls of the arteries leading to the kidneys. This also leads to narrowing or blockage of these arteries.

Symptoms

People with renovascular hypertension may have a history of high blood pressure that is severe and hard to control with medication.

Symptoms of renovascular hypertension include:

High blood pressure at a young age

High blood pressure that suddenly gets worse or is difficult to control

Kidneys that are not working well, which often occurs suddenly

Narrowing of other arteries in the body, such as to the legs, the brain, the eyes and elsewhere

Pulmonary edema

If you have a severe headache, nausea or vomiting, bad headache, confusion, changes in your vision, or nosebleeds you may have a severe and dangerous form of high blood pressure called malignant hypertension.

Exams and Tests

The health care provider may hear a "whooshing" noise, called a bruit, when placing a stethoscope over your belly area.

Renal arteriography

Treatment

High blood pressure caused by narrowing of the arteries that lead to the kidneys (renovascular hypertension) is often difficult to control.

Medications are needed to help control blood pressure. There are a variety of high blood pressure medications available. You and your doctor will decide which type is best for you. often more than one type may be needed.

Everyone responds to medicine differently. Your blood pressure should be checked frequently. The amount and type of medicine you take may need to be changed from time to time.